Distributing mechanism.



' l. H. MICHENER, Jn.

DSTRIBUTING MECHANISM.

AAPPLlcMioN mw Nov. 9. 19u.

Patented May 11, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1. 1Q

[In/enfui* Iii/Wichelen: Jr.

Ilia

J. H. MICHENER, JR,

DJSTFHBUTING MECHANSM.

APPLICATIQN man Nov.9.191a

1,139,133. mmm may 1 1, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2a (l/bzes.: e.: i Invenor 'n S2 knc/fllichener, Jr.

4 SHEETS-SHET 3.

J. H. MICHENER, JR.

INSTRIBUING MECHA-NiSM.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 9,19l1.

,-..mmm`. ."`g

/ih f i. H. MICHENER, la.

DISTRIBUHNG MECHANISM.

APPLICATION msn Nov. u, :911.

'Patented May 11, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

JOHN H. MICHENEB, JB., F NEW YORK, N. Y.

DISTBIBUTING MECHANISM.

Application led November 9, 1911.

L; ai] zrfmz it may concern.:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. lliicnnxnu, Jr.. a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and Stat-e of New York. have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Distributing Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to distributing mechanism, and particularly to stowage de vices comprising trimming conveyers.

rl`his improvement is especiallyr adapted for permanent installation, for instance in the al bunkers of a ship.

The object of this invention is to pro vide means of simple construction, having small liability to clogging or derangement in operation and requiring a small amount of driving power relatively to the work performed.

Figure 1 is a plan view taken on a plane indicated by the line Alf-A of Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig. 3 is a .sectional ele ration taken on line B-B of Figs- 1 and Q. Figs. 4 and 5 are detail plan vieu-s illustrating spiral ribs on the disks Fig. 6 is an elevation showing one manner of disposingr the disl. Figr? is an elevation of a dit'erent relative arrangement of the disks, and also of an additional trimming feature. Figs. 8 and 9 are a plan and elevation respectively showing another manner of disposing the disks. Fig. 10 is a plan view of three distributing disks and aociated parts; and Fig. 11 is an underside plan view of the trimming feature illustrated in elevation in Fig. T.

My improved mechanism includes as its lrst feature a series of consecutive disks mounted for rotation in the same general plane1 said plane being usually horizontal. In practice I may incline the disks so that their axes are parallel and disposed at a slight angle to the normal of their general plane. B v this arrangement the delivery side of any given disk is elevated slightly above the receiving side of its succeeding disk 'thus facilitating the flow of material from one to the other.

I have illustrated my improved device installed in a pair of rectangular bunkers 2, 3 the coal' or other bulk material to be conveyed stowed and trimmed being received through chute 4 into one side near the bot tom of bunker 2. Extending upwardly Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 11, 1915.

serial No. 659,216.

from said receiving point is elevator 5 which will be of some convenient character such as inclined endless chains as 6 having blades or buckets 7. If it is convenient to deliver the coal through a deck hatch as 40, it will be obvious that an elevator need not be employed. Said elevator is preferably in closed by a three-sided trunk comprising top 12 and sides as 13 but having an open bottom. The elevator thus constructed acts by scraping the received coal upwardly and inwardly toward the middle of the bunker and as the coal accumulates the top of the pile will reach the first disk 14 and coal will be delivered onto the face of said disk. The disk 14 is, in the illustration, the first or terminal disk of a series embodying a plurality of disks. Chains as 6 mav be conveniently mounted on sprockets as 8 at the bottom, and 9, 9 at. the top. Said upper sprockets may be fixed to shaft 10 having sprocket 11 fined to its outboard end for driving purposes as hereinafter described. Disks 14, 15 and 16 or the middle row. or' receiving series are preferably stepped relatively to each other,'disk 14 being the lowest and if desired the largest for conveniently receiving material, and disk 16 being the highest for the purpose of conveniently deliveringonto disk 17. The disk at the far end of the bunker, in the illustration disk 1,7, is preferably horizontallyr disposed and located quite near the roof of the bunker. At one side of disk 17 is mounted disk 18,4 the {irstof a series of disk's extending along' one side of bunkers 2 and 3 and including disks 19 to 23 inclusive and ending with disk 24 extending partially over the trunk of elevator 5. At the other side of disk 17 is mounted disk 25 the first of a series of disks extending along the other side of said bunkers and inclu disks 26 to 30 inclusive v In the diagrammatic elevation of Fig. 6 disks 26 to 30 inclusive are shown arranged in the same general plane but inclined to one another so that the delivery side of each disk is slightly above the receiving side of its adjacent disk. In Fig. 7 the disks are shown lying in one common plane. Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate an arrangement similar to that of Fig. 6 but showing each disk more or less overlapping its adjacent disk. In Fig. 10 the disks are provided with a central opening 31 through each thereof, the annular body 32 being supported from the central hub 33 by arms as 34. These central openings are particularly useful where my improvements are used for trimming coal or other material when from the conditions or nature of the material there is a tendency to leave portions of the bunker under said disks unfilled.

Each of the disks illustrated in Fig. is provided with a conveying portion, the annulus 32, and inwardly thereof with an opening. The material being conveyed will be directed in part toward the openings and will accumulate beneath the disks. When material accumulates beneath any disk in excess of that required to till at that place, the excess material will not pass down through the opening, but will be forwarded over the annulus and to another disk or moved laterally. In said Fig. 10 I have also illustrated a plurality of transfer tables 35, 35 which I may employ for assisting material from disk to disk. It will be obvious that said transfer tables are applicable to any of the various arrangements of disks which I have illustrated. Said transfer tables are approximately triangular, each having two inwardly curved sides concentric with the peripberies of the adjacent disks between which said table lies and having a third side approximately in the line of common tangency of said disks. In Figs. 4 and 5 I have illustrated the disks of my improved device with spiral members, comprising either ribs or grooves 39, on the face sides thereof for aisti'ng the discharge of material from said disks as that material encounters deectors as' 37, 38 over disk 41, Fig. 4. Said spiral members are equally applicable to disks having a central opening, as disks 36 and 36Q, Fig. 10. I have also found said members 39, 39 ellicient when employed as ribs on the bottom of disks, see disk 29, Fig. 7 and the bottom plan view thereof in Fig. ,11j for urging the coal piled under the disk, toward the center thereof. The movement of the material centripetally of the disks and into position beneath the disks aures a complete filling of Ythe bunkers beneath the eonveyer. The devices illustrated in Figs. 'l' and 11 and Fig. 10 are useful for trimming the discharged materia] beneath the units of the conveyer. On disk 36 spiral members 39 are arranged -to aist material toward central opening 31,; on disk 360 spiral members 39 are arranged .to assist material toward the periphery of s'aid disk, in @action *in each case, with de- Hectors, as 37, said disks being rotated in the direction of their respective arrows In Fig. 4 disks 41 and 43 are arranged for rotation in anti-clockwise direction and disk 42 in clockwise direction: therefore if said series of disks is operated for advancing material in the general direction of arrow 44, spiral members 39, 39 of disk 42 will occupy positions on said disk the reverse of the positions of spiral members 39, 39 on disks 41, 43 all respectively.

In Fig. 5, as all the disks are arranged to rotate in anti-clockwise direction the positions of spiral members 39, 39 Will be the same relatively to their respective disks.

In Fig. 1 I have illustrated several means for directing the flow of material over the disks, comprising guide rails and deflectors. Said ,cuide rails as 45 extend over one or more of said disks adjacent to the upper face or faces thereof and near one side for retaining the material on said disks. As illustrated said rail 45 extends len hwise along one edge of disks 14, 15, 16 and 17 and then is bent backwardly, following along one edge of disks 25 to 30 inclusive. A similar rail 46 extends along the outside edges of disks 17 to 24 inclusive. Th rails will be supported in some conveni way by posts 51 from deck 47 above the bunker. Said rails are narrow relatively to the width of the dellectors. This is for causing the conveyed material to partly spill olf in transit. These rails may, in some installations, be dispensed with. Deflectors, illustrated in one embodiment at 4S, 48 over disks 14, 15, 16 of Fig. 1 and in other embodiments at 37, 38 as over disk 41 of Fig. 4 are ellicient for deecting the material carried by the disks olf of said disks.

Deilector 48 (Fig. 1) extends from near the ain's on the receiving side of disk 15 to over the delivery portion of adjacent disk 14, while deilectors 37, 38 (Fig. 4) are located over the delivery portions of disk 41. Said defiector 37 is short extending from the periphery of disk 41 inwardly about half way to the anis `of said disk, whereby material on the outer portion of said disk will be detiected thereby; while delector 38 extending from the hub of said disk ontJ war'dly to the periphery will deflect 'fthat material near the middle of said disk left untouched by deector 37. Said defiectors are preferably of greater height Vthan rails 45,` 46 and may depend from deck 47 as at 48 (Fig. 3). Another arrangement of said deflectors is illustrated in Fig. 1 where de- {lect-or 52 is mounted lfor adjustment radially of disks 17 and 25, whereby any desired portion of the load delivered to disk 17 may be deflected to disk 25 and the residue allowed to pass elsewhere. The adjust ing means comprises fixed support 53 and bolts 54.

While I do not limit mylf to any particular means for driving my improved apparatus I prefer to employ the means, illustrated, as'to the general character. in Figs. Tand 3. Therein power is supplied to fore and aft shaft from electric motor 61 or from some other convenient source of power faraones through gear 6 2 fired on said shaft. lFromshaftGO p'oWer.is .-communlcated to transverse -shafts63,=64`and '65. by the usual bevel gears as 66, '660. f ShcftsiO, 63, 64' and 65 are mounted in oneplane and supported for rotation in bearings as 67, G8 on deck 47. The several-disks as 15, .16 to be rotated 'arc lsupported in'- bearing's as 'e() respectively Y in deck 47. Disk shafts as 71, 72 have fixed 10 to their upper ends worm gears as 73,74 respectively and'whichgears are driven b v worms as 75, 76 respectively loosely mounted on one-of said shafts as 64. Each of said worms as 77 on shaft 68 has itsend thrust takerrby -a collar as 78 fixed to its respec tive shaft bya' pin as .79. One-end of worm 77 has clutch member 80 for 'engagement with clutch sleeve 81 slidably mounted on 'shaft '63 and prevented from turning there zo 4on'by feather or tongue82. jSaid sleeve 81 may be moved endwse upon said shaftnndl into and out of engagement with clutclrmember 80 by means otpivoted lever 83,

for transmitting rotary movement' from 2.; shaft te to fixed thereto. Disk 24 receives power from shaft G3 through short i sha-ft 86 driven through bevel gears 87; 88.

It will thus be seen that .all the disks` of so n iy improved device may be operated at one time o'r anyone thereof maybe disengaged und stopped'or any desired combination of disks may be operated while-the other disks are at rest.

For driving elevator 5 I preferably employ a shaft 89 having sprocket 9() xed thereto and chain '91 connectingsaid sprocket and sprocket 11 on elevator-upper shaft 10. Shaft 89 is supported in bearings -10 92, 93 fixed to dcck`47 and may receive its Y ower from shaft 64 through .train of gearing 94 of well known' character.

The mode of operation of ymy improvedmceha'nism will be obvious from the preceding description of its character but the following 'brief description of the early steps in the o eration is given: The coal being delivered by chute' 4 to the foot of elevator '5, blades i scrape the accumulating 4'pipe in- 5o ward'lyand upwardly until the top of said pile is delivered onto the edge of-rst di sk 14. The material as it forms in piles of sufeient height will be taken' up byan adjecent diskl This may be done by theiirst or any other disk of the series. The material being stowed will be taken up and eonveycd a longer or shorter distance as conditions control and discharged at the terminus or at intermediate points. Said disk, G0 rotatin in the 'direction of its arrow delivers e coal against the near side (rl' 1)' of first deliector 48 and thus onto dis 15 'and then against second deiieotor 48 and onto disk 16 and so on to succecdingdisks. G5 Anysurplus coal passing to the rear or sa fixed rail associated therewith gear 84, shaft and disk A52.

. a seriesof consecutively contiguous disks mounted for rotation in thesame general iiectors for causing the conveyed material over disks 15, 16, will be carried around by disk 16 and scraped off by the rear face of :lirst vdellector '48. `Rail 45 `is efficient to assistftlle'transit of the coal from disk to disk' 7o in its 'onward movement. lVhen reaching Vadjustable defiector 52 the stream of coal may. be divided by said deflcctor, part going onto disk 25 and part continuing onward on 4disk |17 -for delivery to disk 18 and so on. 75

L In a stowing or trimming device the -combination with a series of rotar dis'ks,

or forwarding material from end to end of the'lo series, said device being provided with defieetersufor?, immediately spilling the matellfial.

2. A -eonve'yi` including in combination,

=a series of consecutive disks mounted .for '86 rotation in' the same-general plane and a.

adjacent to .the iipper faces of seiddis'ks' for retaining the* material thereon. 1 S3. A conveyer including in combination, U0

:nieseifies Aofv consecutive disks mounted 'for rotation in 'the same eneral iplene,` said w disks having their receiving edgeportions -lonfer than their discharge edge portions and a fixed rail extending lengthwise offers' said series adjacont'to the upper faces of said disks for'r'etaining the material thereon;

4. A eonveyer including in'-conibinaztio'in4 plane, each of said disks having its receive' L ingedge portion lower than the discharge i cdge portion of the disk from which it -receives and a fixed rail extending lengtly. wise of said series-adjacent the upper aces' ofsaid disks for retaining the vmaterial. thereon.` e l '5. ln a conveyer the combinationy witlr'a. series of rotary disks, of a series of de to pass from disk to disk and a guide lower 4 than'V the defiectors for partially retaining the;conveyed material on the disks: 6 A eonveyer including'in combination,- a'series of consecutive disks mounted .for rotation in'thesame general plane, a low rail extending lengthwise of said series adjacentto the upper faces of said disks or partially retaining the material thereon, and one or more'deectors for intermediately spilling material fromsaiddisks.

7. A conveyer including. in' combination,

` -a series of consecutivelyco'ntiguous disks mounted for rotation in theV same general plane, each of said disks having its receiving edge portion lower than the discharge edge portion of the disk from -whichit receives, and a rail extending lengthwise 4of said series adjacent to the upperfaces of said disks for retaining the' material there- 130 on, said rail being low relatively to the load to be carried for spilling a portion of the conveed material.

conveyer including in 'umbination a rotatable disk, a` deHector thereover an oneor more members on. said disk `for `:is-

sisting the movement of the material thereon when said material encounters said de- Hector.

9. In a stowing and trimming'device, the combinationhwith Y.conveyer comprising a series of rotaryhdisks for 'passing maf,

' terial'from one point to a, distant,A point,

means for dischargingmaterial in .transit at intermediate points, and mearisffor-trimming the material centripetally of the disks.

l 10'. A conveyer including in combination, a rotatable'diskfa centr' l opening through l said disk, e 'defiector reifer tin 'delivery portion of said disk and one or more. spiral members on said disk for assisting the move ment of the materialthereon'when said ma terial encounterssaid deiecto'r".V4 11. Aiconveyer including in combination.

. 4 fri-series. of consecutive disks mounted for #rotation 1n the same general` lane' and 'transfer tables 'between adjacent ks.

12. I'nza stowing and trimming"device,v

l the combinationwitb a. conveyer comprisin a. series of rotary disks for Vpassing materia from one point to a' distant' point and for discbarging material in transit at intermediate points and spiral Yanes associated wlth the disks -for .moving the material centri etally thereof.

the combination with a ccnveyer-comp'rising a series 'of rotaryr disks for passing material from'one point to' a distant point,

means` for discharging, material in transit at intermediate points, 'and means for di- .iecting the' material tothe central openerial to'v'ard suih openings.

Signed at New! York, NJY., this 31st day of October, 19m,A before two subscribing ,witnesses l '.IQHN H. MIGHENER, Jn.

y Hmmir A.; WAGNER.

. 36 stowingI and trimming deviee,' t

'operung, and means for. directing the'.ma l

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent ',No. 1,139,133,- granted May 1l, 1915, n pon 'the application ofV John .`Michenr, jr., of New York, N. Y., for an improvement in Distributing Mechanism, errors appear in the printed specificaitionrequiring correction as follrlows: Pah; 3, line B2, for theword immediately Vread. zfntewnediately," sam-e page," line-105, after the Word adjacent insert the word Correctlons to.; an; that the said Letters Patent should be reed witlfl these corrections therein that the same may cenform- 'to' therecord of the case in the Patent Office.

signed nd sealed this 25th day of May, A. D., 1915.

[SEAL] R. F WHITEHEAD,

Acting Commissioner Qf Patents. 

